Stop the bleeding. Prosecutors alleged recruiters arranged with Palm Beach School of Nursings owner, Napoleon, and school employees Gail Russ, Cheryl Stanley, Krystal Lopez and Ricky Riley to create and distribute false and fraudulent diplomas and transcripts. Carleen Health Institute of South Florida Nursing and Healthcare Programs Plantation Campus 8320 West Sunrise Blvd, Suite #204 Plantation, FL 33322 Get directions West Palm Beach Campus 4645 Gun Club Road, #11 West Palm Beach, FL 33415 (561)656-4720 Get directions : 23-60013-Cr-Moreno. Siena College was a school in Broward County, Florida that was licensed by the states board of nursing and its independent education commission to offer practical nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. Online tracking is available 24/7. Transcript Request - Florida Department of Education She currently works as a charge nurse in a busy outpatient primary care department. U.S. v. Witherspoon, et al., case no. Palm Beach State College (PBSC) requires all incoming students, whether first year or transfer students, to submit all official academic transcripts from every high school or college/university attended. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Siena College. make copies and return original documents to applicants in person. The indictment charges defendants Stanton Witherspoon of Burlington County N.J.; Alfred Sellu of Burlington County N.J.; and Rene Bernadel of Westchester County, N.Y. with conspiring to commit and committing wire fraud. The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. What You Need to Know About Angel's Trumpet, 40 Years Later, Adam Walsh's Abduction and Murder Not Forgotten in South Florida, Check Your Change! All rights reserved. Nursing school in West Palm Beach named in fraudulent diploma - MSN Exams were taken in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Texas. or transfer students, to submit all official academic transcripts from every high The School District of Palm Beach County Records Management 3300 Forest Hill Blvd., Suite B-201 West Palm Beach, FL 33406-5870 Email: recordsmanagement@palmbeachschools.org Phone: (561) 434-8550 Fax: (561) 434-8660 The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. Johanah Napoleon, the school's president, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as wire fraud in 2022. Documentation of successful completion of post-secondary. Fax: (561)683-6773. list of approved agencies is located at www.NACES.org/members (Applications for agencies The alleged selling and purchasing of nursing diplomas and transcripts to willing but unqualified individuals is a crime that potentially endangers the health and safety of patients and insults the honorable profession of nursing, said Special Agent in Charge Omar Prez Aybar of Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). How Do Nurses Protect Themselves from Highly Infectious Patients? FBI Miami and HHS-OIG Miami investigated these cases. Theres Still Is Time to Take the IAHSS Foundation 2023 Crime Survey! Fourteen of those charged are linked to the Palm Beach County school. The other schools named are the Sacred Heart Institute in Fort Lauderdale in Sienna College of Health in Lauderhill in the investigation dubbed "Operation Nightingale" after legendary nurse Florence Nightingale. Related: HHS: Insiders Pose Significant Cybersecurity Threat to Healthcare. directly). : 23-60005-Cr-Smith, U.S. v. Sanon, case no. Transcripts should be complete showing all final grades and final graduation date. 12/20/2022) Record Copy - Records Management Duplicate - School/Department . Have a question about Government Services? Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, Miami Field Office; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General; United States Postal Inspection Service, Miami; and Florida Attorney General-Florida Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Mid-Atlantic Field Office. Napoleon was previously charged by information and has pled guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as wire fraud (case nos. Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing and Sacred Heart International Institute - all based in south Florida - combined to distribute more than 7,600 fraudulent diplomas worth over. The charges speak to the purpose of a nursing license which is to protect the public from harm by setting minimum qualifications and competencies. According to charging documents, Sacred Heart International Institute was a Broward County School licensed by the Florida Board of Nursing that offered a nursing program designed to prepare students for employment as practical nurses. such as Joseph Silny and Associates, Inc. or World Education Services can be accessed Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. "What do we learn when somebody gets injured? The other 10 charged were listed as recruiters, including seven from New Jersey or New York. States is optional. Group ranks health care industry's lowlights in 2022, FDA vaccine panel to consider annual COVID shots, Florida doc sentenced to 20 years in prison, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy, The DOJ is prosecuting participants in the alleged scheme in five separate cases. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The College will The copies will need to be certified Currently, all schools are obligated to maintain transcript records indefinitely. A current Authorities said students paid between $6,000 and $18,000 for fake transcripts and certificates. These fake documents represented that the aspiring RN and LPN/VN candidates had attended Siena Colleges nursing program in Broward County and completed the necessary courses and clinicals to obtain RN or LPN/VN diplomas. Practical Nursing Program Description don@palmbeachintcollege.com Associate Of Science In Nursing Degree Program (ASN) Applicants must meet the following requirements before being accepted: Be at least 18 years old. They were charged with conspiring to and committing wire fraud, prosecutors said. Take a Look, Police Reunite Parents With Toddler Found Wandering in Miramar, A Toxic Plant Was Removed From a Miami Park. Twenty-five defendants, including school directors and diploma recipients, were charged in the scheme and each face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Florida Public High Schools and Charter schools Please request that transcripts be submitted electronically via FASTER. Florida nursing schools sold 7,600 fake diplomas worth more than $100 : 23-60007-Cr-Singhal . Official websites use .gov This case is being prosecuted in conjunction with a related criminal matter in the District of Maryland. The indictment alleges that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN. Promote excellence in nursing by enabling future and current nurses with the education and employment resources they need to succeed. The School of Nursing | Palm Beach Atlantic University These recruiters then arranged with Charles Etienne, Sacred Hearts owner, to create and distribute false and fraudulent transcripts and diplomas representing that the aspiring candidates had attended Sacred Heart and completed the necessary courses and clinicals to obtain LPN/VN diplomas. Lock The other group included owners, operators and employees of nursing schools to fake diplomas and transcripts. South Florida schools accused of selling fake nursing diplomas Phone: 850-245-0509 Below is a list of schools that the Commission has some records for or has information on where the records are maintained. NOTE:If you exited the District within the past 3 years, contact the last school you attended to process your records/transcript request.Official GED transcripts: visit the Florida Department of EducationRequest GEDPostsecondary Career & Technical Education (CTE) transcriptsfrom the Department of Adult & Community Education: complete aPostsecondary Career & Technical Education (CTE) Transcript Requestform. A lock ( The fake diplomas and transcripts qualified those who purchased them to sit for the national nursing board exam. palm beach school of nursing is located in West Palm Beach, FL, but also offers classes online. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe; acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough, FBI, Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Omar Perez Aybar, HHS-OIG, made the announcement. West Palm Beach, FL 33417. Fake Nursing School Degrees? Here's What We Know About The Federal 22-60111-Cr-Smith and 22-60118-Cr-Smith). Admissions | Submit/Request Transcripts - Palm Beach State College The indictment charges Gail Russ of Broward County; Cheryl Stanley of Collier County, Fla.; Krystal Lopez of Palm Beach County; Ricky Riley of Broward County; Norberto Lopez of Palm Beach County; Damian Lopez of Palm Beach County; Francois Legagneur of Nassau County, N.Y.; Reynoso Seide of Union County, N.J.; Cassandre Jean of Palm Beach County; Yelva Saint Preux of Suffolk County, N.Y.; Evangeline Naissant of Nassau County, N.Y.; Rony Michel of Monmouth County, N.J.; Vilaire Duroseau of Essex County, N.J.; and Yvrose Thermitus, a/k/a Yvrose Thompson, of Union County, N.J., with conspiring to commit, and committing, wire fraud. The overall scheme involved the distribution of more than 7,600 fake nursing diplomas issued by three South Florida-based nursing schools, Miami, Florida More than two dozen individuals have been charged in the Southern District of Florida for their alleged participation in a wire fraud scheme that created an illegal licensing and employment shortcut for aspiring nurses. If they passed, they were able to obtain licenses and jobs in various states,. "I like to help people," said Brown, who concealed her face and didn't want to give her real name. The indictment charges Ludnie Jean of Harris County, Texas; Serge Jean of Harris County, Texas; Simon Itaman of Harris County, Texas; Anna Itaman of Harris County, Texas; Rhomy Louis of Suffolk County, N.Y.; and Nadege Auguste of Broward Countywith conspiring to and committing wire fraud. One nurse worked at a Veterans Affairs-run home. Palm Beach State College prefers that transcripts be submitted electronically from date. According to the OIG, the scheme general worked in three parts: 'Producing the poison & selling the cure':Group ranks health care industry's lowlights in 2022, COVID vaccination:FDA vaccine panel to consider annual COVID shots, Sober home fraud:Florida doc sentenced to 20 years in prison. Predestin worked at Docu-Flex and PowerfulU to help Adrien provide fake nursing diplomas and transcripts to students from the two schools in Broward and Palm Beach counties, the affidavit. Our mission is to educate, affirm, and inspire each student in an equity-embedded school system. The School of Nursing prepares professional, competent nurses who are reflective, inquiring, able to apply nursing theory, processes and technical nursing skills within the context of the Christian worldview, while recognizing the global, pluralistic nature of society. Mailed RequestsRequests submitted via mail/fax must include the following information: Link to Student Transcript / Records Request PBSD 1457, Requests may be mailed or faxed to the following address:The School District of Palm Beach CountyRecords Management3300 Forest Hill Blvd., Suite B-201West Palm Beach, FL 33406-5870Email:recordsmanagement@palmbeachschools.orgPhone: (561) 434-8550Fax: (561) 434-8660. Up to 7,600 fraudulent diplomas were sold at $15,000 each, authorities said. The school was licensed with the Florida Board of Nursing but it was terminated in 2017 due to low passing rates on the state certification exam. It is alleged that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an LPN/VN. Not only is this a public safety concern, it also tarnishes the reputation of nurses who actually complete the demanding clinical and course work required to obtain their professional licenses and employment," U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe said in Miami, adding that "a fraud scheme like this erodes public trust in our health care system.". Closed Palm Beach School of Nursing linked to federal arrests in The fake diplomas and transcripts qualified those who purchased them to sit for the national nursing board exam. U.S. Attorneys Office Fraudulent degrees qualified recipients to take the national nursing board exam. It is alleged that these recruiter defendants then arranged with Palm Beach School of Nursings owner Johanah Napoleon and school employees Gail Russ, Cheryl Stanley, Krystal Lopez, and Ricky Riley to create and distribute false and fraudulent diplomas and transcripts representing that the aspiring RN and LPN/VN candidates had attended Palm Beach School of Nursing and completed the necessary courses and clinicals to obtain RN or LPN/VN diplomas. : 23-60010-Cr-Smith, U.S. v. Etienne, case no. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Santaluces Community High / Homepage - School District of Palm Beach County The charges speak to the purpose of a nursing license which is to protect the public from harm by setting minimum qualifications and competencies. The college was run byEunide Sanon, who allegedly worked with three people, who are also charged, in New York and New Jersey who recruited aspiring nurses. According to authorities, the . RegisteredNursing.org does not guarantee the accuracy or results of any of this information. U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. A copy of your driver license, state ID, or other form of photo identification showing your name, date of birth and signature is required. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. The School of Nursing - Palm Beach Atlantic University Were it not for the diligence and hard work of the investigators on this case, the extent of this fraud may not have been discovered.. What is disturbing about this investigation is that there are over 7,600 people around the country with fraudulent nursing credentials who are potentially in critical health care roles treating patients. Around 2,400 of those people then passed a licensing exam to obtain jobs as registered nurses and . Individuals with prior criminal circumstances on their background check may not be eligible for licensure or employment. The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers ( AACRAO) can also assist former students in locating information related to offsite storage of transcripts for schools that are no longer standing. Health care fraud is nothing new to South Florida, as many scammers see this as a way to earn easy, though illegal, money, said acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough, FBI Miami. It is alleged that these defendants arranged with Sanon, who managed Siena College and is charged by information with wire fraud conspiracy, to create and distribute false and fraudulent diplomas and transcripts. Southern District of Florida | Fraudulent Nursing Diploma Scheme Leads The defendants each face up to 20 years in prison. The school was licensed with the Florida Board of Nursing but it was terminated in 2017 due to low passing rates on the state certification exam. "What do we learn when somebody gets injured? The school was licensed with the Florida Board of Nursing but it was terminated in 2017 due to low passing rates on the state certification exam. 2018 School Referendum (Expiring 6/30/2023), African, African American, Latino, Holocaust, and Gender Studies, Elementary, Middle and High School Subject Areas, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), Implementation Plan for Required Instruction, Instructional Materials (Textbook) Adoption, International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs, McKinney-Vento Program (MVP) - Homelessness, Physical Education and Health (Elementary Schools), Physical Education, Health and Drivers Ed (Middle and High Schools), Reproductive Health and Disease Education, School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting (SESIR), Student Internship and Volunteer Opportunities, 2021-2022 School Grades and School Improvement Ratings, Certification - Military Veterans Pathway, Fingerprint/ Background Check/ Drug Testing, Compensation and Employee Information Services, Deputy Superintendent and Chief of Schools, Multicultural Education and Migrant Education Programs (MEP), (Diversity) Small, Minority and Women-Owned - Vendors/Suppliers, Coordinated Planning Agencies - Vendors / Suppliers, Link to Student Transcript / Records Request, Student Transcript / Records Request PBSD 1457. Prosecutors said the scheme put patient safety at risk as required training programs exist to protect the public from harm by setting minimum qualifications and competencies.. From April 2016 to July 2021, at least seven nurses obtained fake diplomas from the Palm Beach School of Nursing, Sunshine Academy, Quisqeya and Florida College of Health, which were all owned by Johanah Napoleon. Student Speaks Out After Palm Beach School of Nursing Busted for More than 7,600 fraudulent diplomas were allegedly issued by three nursing schools in South Florida. The indictment alleges that Witherspoon, Sellu, and Bernadel solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN. The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. Crimes such as these unfortunately continue to spring up, especially in this area. Your email address will not be published. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. A credit card is needed for theeTranscriptfee, which is $5.90. Ten people helped recruit people looking to obtain fake degrees. She was not named in the indictment. U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. DOJ accuses former nursing school operators of selling fraudulent Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations Pay a non-refundable application fee of $150.00. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands. Nurses are frustrated by months-long delays to get licensed in some states, Short-staffed and COVID-battered, U.S. hospitals are hiring more foreign nurses. Etienne is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Federal Enforcement on Falsifying Thousands of Nursing Credentials An affidavit said about 175 graduates of the Virginia nursing school applied to the Maryland Board of Nursing, with 62 licensed practical nurses actively working in Maryland. The overall scheme involved the distribution of more than 7,600 fake nursing diplomas issued by three South Florida-based nursing schools: Siena College in Broward County, Fla., Palm Beach School of Nursing in Palm Beach County, Fla., and Sacred Heart International Institute in Broward County. 99 N.E. The Florida Board of Nursing requires a criminal background check for all applicants seeking licensure. To order a high school transcript electronically, visitParchment. There are additional handling fees for paper transcripts. But last week, federal authorities arrested 25 people and shut down the Palm Beach School of Nursing and two other colleges after investigators uncovered an elaborate web of money wiring, recruiting, and criminal activity to hand out fake nursing diplomas and transcripts. What is disturbing about this investigation is that there are over 7,600 people around the country with fraudulent nursing credentials who are potentially in critical health care roles treating patients. She said a normal nursing school program lasts 22 months and can equate to four years at a large university. Main Office: Diplomas are not accepted as proof of high school completion or in place of transcripts. The Department of Justice along with the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General carried out the investigation, dubbed Operation Nightingale. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, Miami Field Office; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General; United States Postal Inspection Service, Miami; and Florida Attorney General-Florida Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Mid-Atlantic Field Office. Additionally, companies such as Parchment provide services for transcript recovery for a nominal fee and can even provide official digital copies to the school directly. Stop the bleeding. "Not only is this a public safety concern, it also tarnishes the reputation of nurses who actually complete the demanding clinical and course work required to obtain their professional licenses and employment," said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe. In her spare time she likes to read, travel, write, and spend time with her husband and two children. The nursing applicants used the fake diplomas and transcripts they purchased from the owner and employees of Palm Beach School of Nursing to obtain RN or LPN/VN licenses in various states and nursing jobs with unwitting health care providers throughout the country. MIAMI Twenty-five people have been charged in a wire fraud scheme that created an illegal licensing and employment shortcut for aspiring nurses at three now-closed schools, including the Palm Beach School of Nursing, federal prosecutors said Wednesday afternoon. Closed Palm Beach School of Nursing linked to federal arrests in diploma scheme, Tornado that tore through Palm Beach Gardens had winds of at least 100 mph, Trees toppled, homes damaged, cars overturned in tornado, Tornado tosses boat from cove onto lawn in North Palm Beach, Unofficial Boca Bash to draw thousands of boaters Sunday, Cleanup underway after tornado rips through North Palm Beach neighborhood, Verhaeghe scores in OT as Panthers eliminate Bruins from playoffs, Butler, Heat start semifinals with 108-101 win over Knicks, National Weather Service upgrades tornado to EF2 with peak winds of 130 mph. The bogus diplomas and transcripts qualified purchasers to sit for the national nursing board exam and, after passing it, to obtain licenses and jobs in various states as RNs and LPN/VNs. hide transcript show transcript. Nurse Suicides: Unveiling the Shrouds of Silence. The other 10 charged were listed as recruiters, including seven from New Jersey or New York. This discussion will help participants analyze, understand, and assess their own program effectiveness. About 2,400 of the 7,600 students eventually passed their licensing exams mainly in New York, federal officials said. An official website of the United States government. Photo: google. For example, the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE), which provides oversight of California's private postsecondary education institutions, is a depository for many closed schools and former students can request official transcripts from the archives. Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing and Sacred Heart International Institute all based in south Florida combined to distribute more than 7,600 fraudulent diplomas worth over $100 million or roughly $15,000 per diploma, federal prosecutors said. Your email address will not be published. Many of those people may lose their certification but likely won't be criminally charged, federal officials said. Two business people charged with selling fake nursing degrees | Miami Request for Student Records. Transcripts need to show a graduation date to be considered complete and official. and Pharmacy Technician Certification. The indictment alleges that Witherspoon, Sellu, and Bernadelsolicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN. What is disturbing about this investigation is that there are over 7,600 people around the country with fraudulent nursing credentials who are potentially in critical health care roles treating patients. Fraudulent Nursing Diploma Scheme Leads to Federal Charges Against 25 According to the court documents, the nursing applicants used the fake diplomas and transcripts they purchased from the owner and employees of Palm Beach School of Nursing to obtain RN. According to three recently unsealed indictments returned by a South Florida federal grand jury and two informations filed by federal prosecutors, defendants engaged in a scheme to sell fraudulent nursing degree diplomas and transcripts obtained from accredited Florida-based nursing schools to individuals seeking licenses and jobs as registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs). Now theyve filed complaints with their state attorneys to try and see how they can get their money back. What Happens When a Nurse Has a Substance Abuse Problem? High School transcripts can be sent via secure PDF from the issuing institution to No students were named in the indictments. South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. hide caption. The schools involved Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing and Sacred Heart International Institute are now closed. U.S. v. Witherspoon, et al., case no. minutes, too. No students were named in the indictments. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. These fake documents represented that the aspiring RN and LPN/VN candidates had attended Siena Colleges nursing program in Broward County and completed the necessary courses and clinicals to obtain RN or LPN/VN diplomas. The students paid a total of $114 million for the fake degrees between 2016 and 2021, the newspaper reported.
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